Card edge connector with commoning contacts and individual contacts and method making the same

Abstract

A card edge connector includes an insulative housing defining a central slot along a longitudinal direction thereof. Two rows of passageways are disposed by two sides of the central slot, respectively. An elongated slit is formed in an outer side of each corresponding row of the passageways. A contact strip is retained in the corresponding slit and laterally communicating with some corresponding designated passageways. A plurality of discrete first contacts are retainably received within such some designated passageways, respectively, and a plurality of second contacts are respectively retainably disposed in the remaining passageways.

I claim:  
     
       1. A card edge connector comprising: 
       an insulative housing defining a central slot along a longitudinal direction thereof;  
       two rows of passageways formed by two sides of said central slot;  
       a slit formed by at least one of said rows of passageways;  
       a contact strip including an elongated retention portion retainably received within said slit;  
       a plurality of first contacts retainably received within some designated passageways, respectively, and mechanically and electrically engaged with said contact strip; and  
       a plurality of second contacts respectively and retainably received within the remaining passageways; wherein  
       said first contacts are structurally different from said second contacts, and each of said first contacts includes a resilient engagement section to engage the contact strip in a lateral direction.  
     
     
       2. The connector as described in  claim 1 , wherein said slit is positioned in an outer side of said at least one of said rows of passageways. 
     
     
       3. The connector as described in  claim 1 , wherein a pair of metal hold-downs are located at two opposite longitudinal ends of the housing, and said contact strip mechanically and electrically engages at least one of said pair of metal hold-downs. 
     
     
       4. The connector as described in  claim 1 , wherein said slit laterally communicates with said some designated passageways. 
     
     
       5. The connector as described in  claim 1 , wherein the remaining passageways other than said some designated passageways are isolated from the corresponding contact strip. 
     
     
       6. An electrical connector comprising: 
       an insulative housing defining a central slot along a longitudinal direction thereof;  
       a plurality of passageways arranged in said housing along said longitudinal direction;  
       a contact strip disposed beside said passageways and defining a lengthwise dimension, along said longitudinal direction, substantially equal to that of said housing;  
       a plurality of discrete first contacts retainably received within some corresponding passageways, respectively; and  
       a plurality of discrete second contacts disposed in the remaining passageways, respectively; wherein  
       said first contacts and said second contacts are mutually exclusively in the corresponding passageways, respectively, and said contact strip is of a plate-like configuration parallel to said central slot.  
     
     
       7. The connector as described in  claim 6 , wherein said contact strip is not exposed to an exterior for being seen after the connector is mounted on a printed circuit board. 
     
     
       8. The connector as described in  claim 6 , wherein a slit is defined in the housing along said longitudinal direction to receive said contact strip, and in communication with said passageways. 
     
     
       9. The connector as described in  claim 6 , wherein each of said discrete first contacts is of a unitary piece. 
     
     
       10. The connector as described in  claim 6 , wherein each of said discrete second contacts is of a unitary piece. 
     
     
       11. A card edge connector comprising: 
       an insulative housing defining a central slot along a longitudinal direction thereof;  
       two rows of passageways formed by two sides of said central slot;  
       a slit formed by at least one of said rows of passageways;  
       a contact strip including an elongated retention portion retainably received within said slit;  
       a plurality of first contacts retainably received within some designated passageways, respectively, and mechanically and electrically engaged with said contact strip;  
       a plurality of second contacts respectively and retainably received within the remaining passageways; and  
       a pair of metal hold-downs located at two opposite longitudinal ends of the housing; wherein  
       said contact strip mechanically and electrically engages at least one of said pair of metal hold-downs.